Germany
Health insurance
Since the Agreement on the Free Movement of Persons between Switzerland and the EU came into force, the place of work has determined who joins the health insurance scheme.
Cross-border commuters (in particular those who live in France, Germany, Italy or Austria and work in Switzerland) have the right to opt for health insurance. They can take out compulsory health insurance under the KVG or be exempted and choose a different health insurance system.
You opt for the KVG EU in Switzerland.
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or you choose one of the two German systems (private/statutory) and take out your insurance in Germany
It is also important to consider and scrutinize the insurance situation at retirement age, as well as supplementary insurance such as supplementary long-term care insurance, reimbursement for glasses, naturopathic treatment, preventive care or dentures - supplementary inpatient or outpatient insurance provides benefits that are otherwise only available to private patients.
Once a cross-border commuter has opted for a health insurance system in the country in question, they can no longer normally switch to another country's system.
Important to know: Since March 2017, you can only make use of your right of choice or exemption from compulsory insurance once. As soon as you are exempt from compulsory insurance under the KVG, it is no longer possible to switch back to Swiss insurance.
There are no exceptions in this case. A change in marital status due to marriage, divorce, death or the birth of a child are not triggering criteria for switching to Swiss insurance. The attractive option of taking out private health insurance as a single person in Germany and switching back to the Swiss statutory health insurance scheme when you start a family is therefore no longer available.
What happens if you go to the doctor in Germany?
If you have German health insurance, there is no difference for you. If you are insured in Switzerland, you will need the EU/EFTA Form 106 prescription.
On the basis of an intergovernmental agreement on social security, cross-border commuters can also receive benefits at their place of residence in Germany in the event of illness. To do this, the employee must submit the E 106 form confirmed by the Swiss insurance company to a German statutory health insurance fund (temporary health insurance fund). The cross-border commuter insured in Switzerland will receive an additional insurance card from this German temporary health insurance fund free of charge.
You decide for yourself whether you choose AOK, Techniker, Barmer or another health insurance company as your temporary health insurance fund. We recommend that you stay with your old health insurance company and only report your status as a cross-border commuter under E 106.
One advantage of this option is that there is no deductible and no cost sharing (excess). German doctors and dentists bill the German statutory transitional health insurance fund directly. They in turn contact your Swiss health insurance fund and are reimbursed for the medical and treatment costs. In principle, you will therefore be treated in the same way as a person with statutory health insurance in Germany.
Verification of compulsory insurance is regulated on a cantonal basis in Switzerland.
Each canton is responsible for checking the insurance obligation for its residents or cross-border commuters. The Gemeinsame Einrichtung KVG carries out this task for the cantons of Aargau, Appenzell Ausserrhoden, Basel-Landschaft, Basel-Stadt, Glarus, Uri as well as for the municipalities of Cham, Risch Rotkreuz, Steinhausen and the city of Zug.
Weitere Informationen
AXA
Dirk Friedmann
Schnabelburgstrasse 6
D-70618 Rheinfelden
+49 7623 79 90 61
dirk.friedmann@axa.de